various nations which enjoyed a semi-independence. Under incompetent
rulers, she saw portion after portion of her dominions fall from her.
Thus arose Pergamus, Pontus, Cappadocia, and Phrygia.

MACEDONIA was ruled by Philip V., and included also a large portion of
Northern Greece.

GREECE proper was divided between the ACHAEAN and AETOLIAN LEAGUES,
the former including the most of the Peloponnesus, the latter the
greater part of Central Greece.

Ever since the repulse of Pyrrhus, Rome had been slowly drifting into
closer contact with the East. She formed an alliance with Egypt in
273. From this country had come in part her supply of corn during the
Second Punic War. In 205, Ptolemy V. became king, and, through fear of
the Macedonian and Syrian kings, sought the protection of Rome.

The punishment of the Illyrican pirates in 228 brought Rome into
closer relations with Greece. These connections had been sufficient to
open the Eastern ports to her trade, but her struggle with Carthage
had left her no time or strength to interfere actively in Eastern
politics, until she was forced to take action by the alliance of
Philip V. of Macedonia and Hannibal, and by the former's threatened
invasion of Italy in 214. A small force was sent into Greece, which
was soon largely increased by the dissatisfied subjects of Philip.

The only object of Rome in the First Macedonian War (214-205) was to
prevent Philip from lending aid to Hannibal; and in this she was
partially successful. None of the Macedonian troops entered Italy, but
four thousand of them were at Zama.